In a presentation at AI & Big Data Expo Global, Jason Smith, Chief Digital Officer of Publicis Groupe, shared insights into the role of AI in reshaping decision-making processes within the realm of advertising and marketing.

The focal point of Smith’s presentation was a strategic experiment conducted by his team to explore the potential of AI in reducing noise and bias inherent in decision-making. Smith began by addressing the common perception of decision-making and the often-overlooked influence of human biases and external factors.

“Let’s recognise that we’re not the best at making decisions, that there are some issues when we make decisions—just as there are some issues when AI makes some decisions,” said Smith.

Smith advocates for combining the strengths of both human and AI decision-makers.

The strategic experiment involved a comprehensive analysis of the human decision-making process, where the team pitted AI against a human team in running a Facebook travel campaign. Smith delved into the intricacies of the human brain’s dual components—the amygdala for intuitive thinking and the prefrontal cortex for reasoning.

Notably, Smith drew attention to the concept of “noise,” a term he differentiated from bias, describing it as the variance